Toy hoop.



rem-662,034. Patented Nov. 20, I900.

1 P. A. SMITH.

TOY HOOP A nmion filed Sept. 30. 1899.,

(N0 Mbdel.)

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Urrn TATES PRESTON A. SMITH, OF RICHFORD, VERMONT.

ToY HOOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,034, dated November 20,1906.

Application filed September 30, 1899. Serial. No. 7325184. (No model.)

To all whom, it may cancer/v Be it known that I, PRESTON A. SMITH, a resident of Richford, in the county of Franklin and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Hoops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make an use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in toy hoops, the object of the same being to provide a hoop and driving-rod so constructed that when the hoop is supported on the rod the child may run, Walk, or stand still andalways have full control over the hoop, thus making it possible for him to readily guide the hoop through crowded streets and make short turns.

With this object in view my invention consists in the details of construction, as will be more fully described, and pointed out in the claim. 7

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the hoop, showing the driving-rod in position. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the driving-rod, and Fig. 3 a view of a modified form of driving-rod.

A represents the hoop, comprising an outer rim a, preferably of wood, a .sheetmetal hub 19, and a series of wire tension-spokes c. The hub 19 is preferably made of thin sheet metal and is provided centrally with a circular opening considerably larger than the driving end of the driving-bar and is supported and sustained in position by the spokes c, which latter are secured to the rim and hub in any desired manner.

The driving-bar B comprises a handle 01 and a driving end 2, the latter being preferably made from a round wire and inserted in the wooden handle, as shown. This driving end is, as shown in the drawings, pointed at its extreme end, and the wire at a point behind the free end thereof is bent into a curved or approximately semicircular shape to form a seat or hearing for the thin hub. The rod is, as before stated, of decidedly less diameter than the opening in the hub. Hence it will be seen that the bar can be freely moved laterally therein. Hence by turning the rod forwardly, so as to produce a pressure against the inner side of the hub in advance of the opening therein, the hoop can be quickly turned to the right, and by turning the rod rearwardly, so that the outer portion of the curved seat in the rod bears against the outer face of the hub,the hoop will be quickly turned to the left.

Instead of providing the driving-rod with a curved seat, as shown, it may be made with a deep seat and provided at its outer end with a broad flat nut, as shown in Fig. 3, so that I when inserted within the hub it would not be readily removabletherefrom, but would permit of free movement of the wheel and the necessary manipulations of the driving-rod. From this it will be seen that by simply manipulating the rod within the hub absolute control over the hoop and its movements can be maintained, and by providing the drivingrod with the curved hearing or seat the hoop is prevented from moving laterally while in motion. I

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A toy comprising a large rim, a thin metal central portion provided with a large central opening having an unobstructed circular wall, spokes connecting said thin metal central portion with the rim and a driving-rod much smaller in diameter than the diameter of the opening in said central portion, said drivingrod having an unobstructed recess at right angles to its longitudinal axis and adapted to embrace the edge of the opening in the thin metal central portion to permit said drivingrod to ride on the circular unobstructed wall thereof and to permit said rod to be freely removed therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PRESTON A. SMITH. Witnesses:

E. O. THAYER, JOHN N. POWELL. 

